Shelby County soccer teams headed to final four

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 9, 2006

The Indian Springs boys&8217; soccer team has seen its share of challenges this season. But nothing could quite match up to what they faced Saturday night in their Class1A-4A state quarterfinals matchup against LAMP.

LAMP scored 2:09 into the second half to take a 1-0 lead, but Indian Springs responded quickly when freshman Evan Pantazis scored 36 seconds later to even the match at 1-1.

Indian Springs was forced to play a man down for most of the second half, however, after the referee gave a red card to a Springs soccer player for questionable celebration following Pantazis&8217; goal.

The Indian Springs players seemed unaffected playing a man short, as Pantazis scored two more goals to help his team to a 3-2 victory.

&8220;It&8217;s a killer to have to play a man down,&8221; Indian Springs head coach Rick Tozzi said after the game. &8220;I have to give credit to the boys that their spirit didn&8217;t wane.&8221;

Pantazis&8217; hat trick sealed Indian Springs&8217; berth for a fourth-straight year in the Class 1A-4A final four in Huntsville this Friday.

&8220;I just happened to be in the right place,&8221; Pantazis said. &8220;I have to give credit to my teammates for those goals.&8221;

Evan&8217;s older brother, Lee, finished with five saves in net for ISS.

Indian Springs (21-4) will have little time to rest as they prepare to face Alabama&8217;s top ranked soccer team in Randolph School.

&8220;I am not big into building up games,&8221; Tozzi said. &8220;They&8217;re playing really well right now, but we just need to go out there and stick to our game plan.&8221;

The two teams square off at 11:15 on Friday with the victor facing the winner of Altamont and Mars Hill for the championship game at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Shades Valley 1, Oak Mountain 0 (OT): The Oak Mountain Eagles&8217; bid for a repeat Class 6A state title came to an end Friday night at the hands of the Shades Valley Mounties.

The Mounties&8217; Franklin Leach scored the game-winner with 1:20 left in the first overtime victory to give his team the win and eliminate the Eagles.

The Eagles finish the season with a 19-5-1 record.

GIRLS’ RESULTS

Oak Mountain 3, Mountain Brook 2: The Oak Mountain Lady Eagles edged past the Mountain Brook Lady Spartans on Saturday 3-2 to clinch a Class 6A final four berth this Friday in Huntsville.

Oak Mountain&8217;s Brittany Corieia scored two goals for the Lady Eagles (18-3-2) in the contest, including a goal with 5:56 remaining in the match to give her team the win.

The Lady Eagles will face Auburn at 6 p.m. on Friday in Huntsville, with the winner of that match facing the winner of Prattville and Grissom at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Briarwood Christian 6, Oxford 0: The top-ranked Briarwood Christian Lady Lions made short work of 10th-ranked Oxford on Saturday, winning easily over the Yellow Jackets 6-0.

The Lady Lions out-shot Oxford 49-0 in the match on their way to the Class 5A state final four this Friday where they will face Southside-Gadsden at 1:30 p.m.

Briarwood&8217;s Laura Ketcham and Claire Palmer each netted two goals for the Lady Lions (17-4-0) in the match.

Indian Springs 7, Houston Academy 2: The Indian Springs&8217; girls&8217; soccer team came one step closer to repeating as Class 1A-4A state champions Saturday night with a 7-2 victory over Houston Academy.

The Raiders, which had allowed only nine goals the entire season, gave up four in the first half and three in the second to top-ranked Indian Springs (18-4-0).

Demi Lorant and Devon Weldon each had two goals for ISS.

Indian Springs will now face Randolph Academy at 9 a.m. on Friday in Huntsville with the winner of that game facing the winner of Altamont and Guntersville the following day at 9 a.m. in the Class 1A-4A state championship game